


The Last Call

by a_vause1980



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 13:45:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14594316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_vause1980/pseuds/a_vause1980
Summary: Emily is shot while out on a case and has time for one phone call.





	The Last Call

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Challenge Yourself Challenge that me and my BFF SuperWoman0124 have been working on for a few month. Prompt was write a Major Character Death.

“Morgan and Prentiss, I need you to go in there and try to talk him down,” Hotch says, his eyes darting from one to the other. “The rest of us will wait here and hopefully, you guys can get him to come out.”

Derek and Emily leave the group, making their way to the barn doors of the farmhouse.

“Kyle, my name is Derek! I’m with the FBI. My friend Emily and I want to come in and talk with you.”

“Stay out!” Kyle screamed back.

“Please, Kyle! Let us come in and talk.” Emily pleaded.

“Alright, fine! But only you two.”

Derek slowly opened the door, watching Kyle and Kristen come into view. She was on her knees and Kyle had a gun to the back of her head. Derek and Emily move gingerly, never taking their eyes off the unsub. They walked into the dimly lit barn, spacing themselves on either side of their target. 

“Kyle, look, I’m sorry for what he did to you, but killing Kristen is not going to change that. She has nothing to do with this.”

“She has everything to do with this!”

“No, Kyle. No, she doesn’t!” Emily called in retort. “You need to let her go.”

“Of course she does. She left me alone with him. She said she would come back, but she never did.”

“I’m sorry Kyle, I’m so sor…”

“SHUT UP!”

Kyle pushed Kristen to the ground, suddenly two shots rang out and Kyle went down. Derek ran over, kicking the gun out of reach in case Kyle went for it. He put cuffs on Kyle, then felt for a pulse. He dropped his head when there was none and he watched as the SWAT team poured through the open door; along with EMS. 

Derek looked up at Emily. “You okay?” She nodded putting her gun away.

They wrapped Kristen in a blanket, helping her up and out of the barn. A few seconds later, Derek heard the ambulance doors close and speed off. As the SWAT team put Kyle in a body bag, the rest of the BAU came in and headed to where Derek was standing, trying to figure out what happened. 

A small voice came from behind the team. “Guys.”

They turned in time to see Emily fall to the ground, and even though Derek was the farthest, he made it to her first. The hay and dirt under Emily was soaked in blood by the time he got there. He looked and found the stain on the front of her light blue shirt.

“No, no, no, no.” He said, pushing his hand against the wound. “Emily, hey! Prentiss, look at me.”

Emily groaned as he put pressure on it, the rest of the team close behind. Hotch called into his radio, “We need a bus!”

“We can have another bus here in 20 minutes.”

Hotch turned away so they wouldn’t hear him. “We don’t have 20 minutes! You get that bus here, now.”

“We will do the best we can.”

Hotch turned back around and looked down at the fallen team member. He saw Emily try and get up.

“I’m fine, I’m okay,” she said, barely making up off the ground.

“No, Prentiss. Lie down. We have help on the way.” Derek said, placing his hand on Emily’s shoulder.

He turned and looking up at Hotch who gave a small shake of the head ‘no’, then closed his eyes. When he opened them, he looked at all the faces of the team, Reid was holding Emily’s hand, Kate was crying, Rossi stood next to him; his hand over his mouth not knowing what to do. 

“I need to get home,” she said “JJ is waiting for me. Henry’s soccer game is tomorrow.”

“Shhh.” Derek’s voice cracked as he held back a sob.

“I have to call JJ.”

Emily reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone. She put her passcode in trying to tap on JJ’s number but it fell from her hand to the floor. Hotch called Penelope immediately. 

“Sir.”

“Garcia, I need you to tape Emily’s phone call now.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.” Hotch hung up, not wanting JJ to hear anything.

Derek picked it up. “I got it, Emily. Hang on a second.”

“Derek, don’t you tell her anything. And don’t let her see me like this.”

Emily was afraid JJ would try to FaceTime her so the boys could talk but she didn’t want any of them to see what was going on.

“I won’t, Prentiss.”

Derek tapped the number and saw it connecting. He put it on speaker, holding it close to Emily. It felt like it rang forever then finally, they heard JJ.

“Hey babe.” 

“Hey JayJe.”

“Boys! Mommy’s on the phone if you want to come say hi!”

Emily could hear the boys running in the background, the footsteps getting louder.

Garcia sat quietly, listening to the phone call and still wondering why she needed to tape this so she texted Kate. 

‘Garcia: Kate, What’s going on?’

Kate decided to forgo texting and called Garcia instead. She tried to stay quiet, moving away from the group. “Penelope, uh.... Emily’s been shot. She uh...Garcia, she isn’t going to make it.” Kate sobbed. “This is going to be the last time she gets to talk to JJ and the boys.”

Garcia sat there, stunned. Tears streamed down her face, her usually perfect mascara now in black streaks, dripping onto the paperwork on her desk.

The boys called in unison, “Hiya, Mommy!”

“Hey, guys,” Emily said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Mommy, did you get the bad guy?” Henry asked.

“Yeah, buddy. I...I got him. So, what did you do with Mommy today?”

Emily hoped JJ didn’t hear the crack in her voice.

“We went to the park and then jumped on the trampoline. Right, guys?”

Emily heard JJ’s voice and a sob racked through her body, knowing that she will never see her family again. She won’t get to take the boys to the park or push Michael on the swings.

“You did? Did you guys have fun?”

“Yeah.” both boys called back.

“Good. Good.” Emily said, another tear falling.

“Mommy, will you read me a story when you get home?” Michael screamed at the top of his lungs.

Emily laughed, knowing that at four, he didn’t quite understand how a phone worked.

“Sure, Monkey. Can I guess what book?”

“Yeah.”

“Ummm. Winnie the Pooh?”

“How did you know?”

“Cuz it’s your favorite, Monkey.”

“Can Teddy and Henry read it with us, too?”

“Of course.”

Henry came running back to the phone. “I wanna read Batman.”

JJ chuckled. “Batman? Since when do you read Batman?”

“I love Batman! He gets the bad guy, just like you guys.”

There was silence, then Emily could hear the smallest sound of a kiss. JJ proudly said, “That’s right, buddy.”

“Hey, guess what?”

“What, Henry?” Emily said, fighting every sob.

“We're making you cookies, Mommy!” Henry said.

“You are? What kind of cookies?”

“Chocolate chip, silly! Your favorite.”

“Well, we would be making cookies if these little monsters would stop eating all the dough.” 

Emily knew JJ was tickling them by the way they were laughing. She pictured the three of them in the kitchen, tiny flour handprints everywhere. She remembered the last time they baked together. JJ kept popping the chocolate chips in her mouth in between adding ingredients. 

“Hey, can I get one of those?” Emily said, nodding at the chips.

JJ picked one up, moved her hand towards Emily’s mouth than at the last second tossed it in her own, laughing. Emily remembered the huge grin on JJ’s face and that how when JJ thinks something is really funny, she laughs with her whole body.

“Hey, come on! I want one.”

“Okay, okay.”

JJ picked up another chip, watching Emily open her mouth but then at the last second JJ did the same thing, popping it into her own. 

“Oh, you are gonna get it now.”

Emily moved quickly before JJ could get away, she tickled the blonde’s sides making her laugh so hard it went silent. 

“Boys, quick! Help me tickle Mommy!” Emily called out to Henry and Michael.

They ran over and copied Emily’s actions, all four of them laughing. Emily remembered they never actually made the cookies. They sat down on the couch, put on a movie for the boys and sat there eating the raw cookie dough. Emily put her arm around her wife, then turned and kissed JJ’s cheek.

“You taste like flour.”

“Well, as soon as the boys go to bed, you can help me wash it off.”

Emily cried, knowing she will never bake with them again or ever see their faces and she wished she could hold them one last time.

“Huh, you little cookie monsters,” JJ said in between tickles and laughs.

Emily let go, giving into the silent sobs as she listened to her family laughing on the other end of the phone.

“So, are you guys leaving soon? I’m assuming since you're calling that the case is closed.”

“Yeah.” Emily paused. “Are the boys still in the room?”

“No, what’s up?”

The team waited, holding their breath. They thought Emily might tell JJ what is going on.

“We lost the unsub, sniper, but we saved the girl. She's on her way to the hospital now.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah.” Emily paused. “I love you, JJ.”

“I love you, too. You okay? You sound kinda off.”

“I’m fine. You know, just losing the unsub and this case taking longer than expected... Everything just hit me a little hard.”

“Okay. Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yeah, I just miss you. I miss you so much.”

“Aww, babe. I miss you, too. Are you going to make it for Henry’s soccer game tomorrow?”

Emily said through a sniffle, “I’m gonna try, babe. I really am.”

“So, where is everyone else? Seems quiet there.”

“They're here. Everyone say hi.”

They all called out, trying to sound as normal as possible. “Hi JJ.”

“Hi, guys.”

“Hey, JayJe.” Emily pouted, her tears resurfacing. 

“Henry! Let Michael stir it, too. Yeah, babe?”

“Remember how we talked about taking the boys to Paris?”

“Yeah?”

JJ was confused as to why Emily was bringing this up, it seemed more of a passing conversation than a talk.

“I think you should book it. They should see the city where their Mommys' fell in love.”

“Okay? Emily, are you sure you're okay?”

“Yeah, I just thought it would be nice. Hotch said I could have the time off.”

“Wow, you got Hotch to approve vacation time? I guess we can do that when you get home.”

Emily was starting to fade in and out of consciousness. She wanted to stay on the phone as long as she could with JJ.

“I’m sorry, JJ.”

“Sorry for what, Em?”

“I’m just sorry that we spend so much time apart. And I wish I would have met you sooner.”

“Okay, Emily. Seriously now, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it. I don’t...I’m okay, really. I just love you so much. You, Henry and Michael. I just...I should have married you sooner.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing you get to spend the rest of your life with me, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s a good thing I do.” Emily trailed off thinking about what her life with JJ and the boys would have been like.

Emily knew she was starting to fade out, she wasn't going to be able to carry on this conversation much longer without worrying JJ.

“Hey JayJe, I gotta go, okay?”

Emily choked back the tears, knowing this will be the last goodbye, the last I love you and the last time she will talk to her wife and sons.

“Can you get the boys again?”

“Yeah. Hey, boys! Come say goodbye to Mommy.”

Emily again listened to the footsteps getting louder.

“Bye, Mommy. I love you.”

“Bye, Henry. I love you so much, buddy.”

“Bye Bye, Mommy,” Michael said, blowing a kiss into the phone.

Emily didn't answer and her eyes were closed. Derek gave her a small shake to bring her back, just long enough.

“Bye, Monkey. Mommy loves you.”

She heard the boys run out of the room and knew she had one last goodbye. It would also be the hardest one. She had been dreading this since she made the phone call but now that it was here, she wouldn't regret this phone call for anything.

“Alright, I guess I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Em?”

“I love you, JJ. You know that, right? I have never loved anyone the way I love you.”

“I love you, too, Emily.”

“I wish I was with you right now.”

“Soon, babe. Just a few more hours.”

“Yeah,” Emily said through sniffles.

Emily looked at the faces of her team members; eyes all puffy, noses red.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better family.”

Even though Emily was mostly talking about JJ and the boys, her eye contact with each team member made it clear she was also talking to them as well.

“Goodbye, JJ. I love you more than you could ever know. Give the boys a kiss for me.”

“I will. I love you, too, Em. Come home to me.”

“Ok. I love you.” Emily said, reaching her shaky hand up to hit the ‘end call’ button.

Once the phone showed the call had ended, she broke down crying harder then she has ever cried in her life.

“Come here, you guys. I guess it’s a good thing JJ and I decided not to go on cases together, huh?” Emily said with a little laugh, trying to lighten the mood as much as she could.

The whole team kneeled down around Emily. Derek put Emily’s phone down, pulled his own out and dialed Garcia quickly. When the call connected, neither of them said anything. He just put it on speaker so Penelope could be there.

“Spencer, you look after Henry and Michael. Make sure they grow up as smart as you.”

Tears rolled down Reid’s cheeks. “I will. MIT here they come,” he said, faking a smile.

“Aaron, hug Jack every day. Tell him you love him, no matter how old he gets.”

“I promise.”

“Derek, you were always the strong one. Be strong for JJ. She's going to need you. ”

“You can count on me, Prentiss. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her and the boys.”

“Penelope, keep spoiling the boys. Always show them the fun in life. Be the fun aunt.”

“I will, Emily. Those kids are gonna have everything they want.”

Emily could hear a small smile in Penelope’s voice before 

“Kate, you and Penelope keep taking JJ on girl's weekends. Don’t let her stop having fun.”

Kate cried harder, only able to nod in agreement. She could hear sobs from Garcia as well.

“David, teach the boys about the finer things in life. And never let them forget about family.”

“Three words Emily, Family Dinner Sunday’s,” Rossi said, pointing at Emily and giving her a wink. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

“You guys are my family. Take care of each other. I love you all so, so much.”

The team was silent as they watched Emily’s eyes slowly closed and her head fell to the side, knowing she was gone. Derek, who had stayed strong the whole time finally broke down and he stood up, looking down at the blood on his hands. Walking away, he punched through the barn wall, splintering the wood. Kate knelt down next to Emily’s body, kissing her forehead and tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. She stood, finding Rossi behind her, scooping her into a hug and holding her tight as her body shook from sobbing. Hotch called the FBI headquarters, making all the arrangements so that JJ wouldn’t have to deal with that. Spencer was still holding Emily’s hand and he leaned his forehead against it as the sobs took over.

Nobody left Emily’s side. They rode to the hospital with her, even flying back with her and forgoing their normal jet. Garcia met them at the airport, knowing the team would have to go to see JJ. 

“Penelope, do you have the tape?” Hotch asked.

“Yes.” 

She handed the tape of the last conversation JJ and the boys would ever have with Emily. She was crying already. She felt someone wrap their arms around her, knowing it was Derek. She turned, burying her face in his chest. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her tighter. She hugged each team member and in turn, they cried silently.

They climbed into the waiting SUV’s, knowing this would be the longest ride of their lives. As they pulled up in front of JJ and Emily’s townhouse, they could see the boys bicycle’s and toys strewn about the lawn. Hotch hesitated, then knocked on the door.

They heard footsteps and then JJ’s voice calling. “Hey, babe! Did you forget your key,” the door swung open. “again?”

JJ looked at the member’s of her team, scanning the faces. The boys came running up behind her yelling, “Mommy, mommy, mommy!” When they finally got there, not seeing Emily, they stopped. 

Reid stepped towards the boys, kneeling down to hug them. “Let's go play, boys.”

He hugged JJ and kissed her cheek before taking Henry and Michael's hands and going to the playroom. JJ stood there, looking at her team. No one said anything and she finally realized what had happened. Before JJ could hit the floor, Hotch caught her, pulling her close and slowly sitting down. They leaned against the opened door as JJ sobbed and Derek walked around, helping the blonde up. He practically had to carry her to the couch. Penelope brought JJ a glass of water, placing it on the table.

The life they could have had flashed through JJ’s mind. Sobs took over, her head dropped into her hands, palms pressed into her eyes. The team sat around the living room trying to be strong, but one by one, tears rolled down their cheeks. Derek held back his tears, remembering the promise he made to Emily. 

JJ looked up and looked at her friends, she wanted to ask what happened but honestly didn’t want to know. She also knew they wouldn’t tell her. She could hear the boys playing with Spencer and wondered how she was going to explain it to them. How would she tell them their mom was never coming back.

JJ and the boys drove silently to the cemetery. No matter how many times they made the drive, it never got easier. They walked to Emily’s grave and the headstone read ‘Beloved Daughter, Wife and Mother’. JJ kneeled between the boys, an arm around each of them.

“Go ahead, Henry.”

“Hi Mommy. I scored three goals in soccer. I wish you could have seen them.”

“She did, buddy. Remember, Mommy is always watching.” JJ said her eyes filling with tears.

“I love you, Mommy.” Michael said through sniffles.

JJ placed a kiss on Michael’s temple, ruffling his hair. “She loves you, too.”

They sat in quiet for a few minutes. JJ said they could go play a little because she wanted to talk to Emily.

“Stay where I can see you. Okay, guys?”

“Okay.” they called back, running off and weaving through the headstones.

“Hey, Em. This really doesn’t get easier.” JJ chuckled. “ I miss you so much. It’s so hard without you. Kate and Penelope are taking me on a girl's weekend. I can’t say I’m totally up for it, but you know Garcia. She doesn’t take no for an answer.”

JJ laughed, her head dropped down and she could see little tear stains on her jeans. She let herself cry, for just a minute, then looked up to check on the boys. They were still running and chasing each other. She smiled, watching them then looked back at the headstone.

“I love you, Emily. Forever.”

JJ kissed her fingers then laid them on top of the grave. She wiped her eyes, stood up and walked towards where the boys were playing. They watched her get closer, assuming it was time to go.

JJ made a half-silly, half-angry face and said, “The tickle monster is gonna get you.”

The boys screamed and took off running and laughing as JJ chased them around, trying to tickle them. She finally caught Michael, scooping him up and tickling him. He was laughing hysterically as Henry joined in. The three fell to the ground, rolling around in the grass, each trying to tickle each other.


End file.
